Baixa House by Jose Adriao Arquitectos

Located in the heart of the historical district of Baixa, in Lisbon, and giving the project it's name, Baixa House is a refurbishment of a traditional "Pombalino" building by Jose Adriao Arquitectos. Since its construction in the late 18th century, there has been a great deal of changes and modifications that deeply modified the original character of the building. The architect's decision for the project was to accept this heritage, incorporating the changes of different times and complementing old with new. 

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Sojourner Morrell by Steven Pan for Double Magazine #23

Images: Fashion Gone Rogue

Alexis by Martin Jančok and Aleš Šedivec

Nowadays it is becoming increasingly hard for small independent bookshops to compete, not only with firmly established booksellers on the high street, but also with the advent of digital devices such as the kindle. This small bookshop in Bratislava by Slovakian architects Martin Jančok of Plural and Aleš Šedivec of Totalstudio aims to create a flexible space to both sell books and also to facilitate various events such as workshops and lectures. A stepped wooden platform allows people to sit and look at books, but in addition can be filled up with spectators for an impromtu auditorium. 

Images: Plural

Architecture (archived images of Brasilia) meets fashion in Y-3 Spring 2012 Campaign by Collier Schorr

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Stop, Look, Listen: Three things to do this week.

STOP. Brain: The Mind as Matter at the Wellcome Collection

This major new free exhibition, starting from 29th March to the 17th June, explores what humans have done to brains in the name of medical intervention, scientific enquiry, cultural meaning and technological change. Featuring real brains, artworks, videos and photography, 'Brains' asks not what brains do to us, but what we have done to brains, focusing on the bodily presence of the organ rather than investigating the neuroscience of the mind.

LOOK. Gillian Wearing at the Whitechapel Gallery. 

From the 28th March to the 17th June, the Whitechapel Gallery is showing the work of Turner Prize-winning YBA artist Gillian Wearing, whose films and photographs explore our public personas and private lives. Drawing from early fly-on-the-wall documentaries and reality TV, Wearing's portraits reveal a paradox- given the chance to dress up, put on a mask or act out a role, the liberation of anonymity allows us to more truly ourselves. 

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LISTEN. Writing Madness on BBC Radio Four.

Vivienne Parry takes her diagnoses of literary heroines into the 20th century and the age of Freud, the Great War and the explosion of the 'sciences of the mind' focusing on three great works of fiction, including Virginia Woolf's Mrs Dalloway. On Saturday 31st March from 11.30am-12pm. 

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The Red House in Bexleyheath by William Morris

At the weekend I went to the Red House, just outside of London; the only house commissioned, created and lived in by William Morris, the founder of the Arts & Crafts movement and renowned for his floral patterned fabrics and furnishings. When it was completed in 1860, it was described by Edward Burne-Jones as 'the beautifullest place on earth'. Morris lived with his wife Jane in the house for only five years, during which time their two daughters, Jenny and May, were born. Features to look out for include: hand painted tiles by Burne-Jones featuring Morris's motto 'si je puis' (If I can), hidden murals by Morris concealed behind hinged panels in the living room, and don't forget to look up to the ceiling for colourful painted patterns. 

(I also recently did a post about an exhibition on Morris, which was at Two Temple Place in London).

Hand painted tiles in the Pilgrim's Porch featuring William Morris's motto 'si je puis'

Stained glass windows by Burne-Jones

Cabinet by William Morris

Aphrodite embroidery 

Dining room

Hallway ceiling with pinpricks in the plaster to denote where the pattern should be painted.

Protected Morris painting behind white panelling. 

Image: my own